Edmonton Examinerhttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com
Tue, 14 Aug 2018 21:01:27 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8Love it or hate it: Residents get another week to sound off on Stony Plain Road's futurehttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/residents-voice-concerns-about-one-way-options-on-stony-plain-road/wcm/2a954c65-a52d-4abc-b696-abd262ead1fd
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/residents-voice-concerns-about-one-way-options-on-stony-plain-road/wcm/2a954c65-a52d-4abc-b696-abd262ead1fd#respondThu, 02 Aug 2018 09:00:32 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/residents-voice-concerns-about-one-way-options-on-stony-plain-roadWest Edmonton residents are concerned their voices aren’t being heard on the fate of Stony Plain Road after a technical glitch stymied some people’s attempts to weigh in on converting the busy street to one-way traffic.

The city shared five possible design options for Stony Plain Road — four of them converting the thoroughfare to one-way traffic — at a public meeting on July 26 focused on making room for the future Valley Line West LRT.

Officials made an online form available for residents unable to attend, but Irene Blain, president of the West Jasper-Sherwood Community League, said she had been trying to get in touch with the city since Monday after hearing from several concerned residents the electronic submission wasn’t working for them.

“It’s concerning,” Blain said. “There’s a lot of people who weren’t able to attend and wanted to leave their commentary.”

On Wednesday, city officials said they created a more accessible Google Doc form after learning about the problem. City spokeswoman Jennifer Villeneuve said the city will extend the deadline to Aug. 10 and promote the changes on social media.

This change on Wednesday was the first communication Blain said she has heard from the city since Monday when she tried to address the issue.

Coun. Andrew Knack, who represents the area, said the road’s redesign will deeply impact residents and commuters. “It’s important to do this discussion to hear feedback and understand all of the considerations,” he said.

At the outset of the project, Knack said the idea of making a portion of Stony Plain Road one-way wasn’t even on his radar. Now, it is at the forefront of the possible new designs.

After hearing from the public previously, LRT planners came forward with four possible one-way arrangements between 149 Street and 156 Street. They are:

A “split,” with the LRT running down the middle of the road with two westbound lanes on either side;

Two westbound through lanes on the north side of the road with the LRT running along the south side of the road;

Two westbound lanes, one through and one with left turns at 151 and 153 Streets, with the LRT running on the south side;

One lane westbound and wider sidewalks on both sides of the street, with LRT aligned on the south side.

Planners are expected to present recommendations to city council in the fall.

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/residents-voice-concerns-about-one-way-options-on-stony-plain-road/wcm/2a954c65-a52d-4abc-b696-abd262ead1fd/feed0Crews work around clock to restore power in flooded downtown buildinghttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/crews-work-around-clock-to-restore-power-in-flooded-downtown-building/wcm/7527f625-2e74-4aef-b376-ac0ddba3c36b
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/crews-work-around-clock-to-restore-power-in-flooded-downtown-building/wcm/7527f625-2e74-4aef-b376-ac0ddba3c36b#respondThu, 02 Aug 2018 23:12:37 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/crews-work-around-clock-to-restore-power-in-flooded-downtown-buildingCrews were working around the clock to empty an office building parkade that flooded during a water main break in downtown Edmonton.

Forty-four Capital Blvd. — 10044 108 St. — was the only building still without power Thursday after a water main broke beneath the street Wednesday. Water poured from the break for more than an hour, flooding sections of Jasper Avenue and forcing the evacuation of several buildings.

Darin Comrie, vice-president asset management with real estate company Morguard, said water had flooded into the electrical vault on the lowest level of the parkade, and staff were looking to acquire a generator.

“There’s considerable water in there — they’ve been pumping it all night and continue to pump it out,” he said Thursday.

In the lower level of the parkade, he had heard water was higher than wheel-deep. He had no estimate of when the building might reopen.

“Our tenants — when we do get them back in — there’s going to be some damage to vehicles on that lower level for sure.”

He said the provincial government was the largest tenant in the building. The first goal was to restore life safety equipment to allow employees to re-enter the building to collect their belongings.

“As far as a long term plan we’ll probably be on generators for a while until we can determine a permanent solution … because (the equipment) was severely damaged.”

Epcor said it was making “significant progress” repairing the broken water line and hoped service would be restored to all customers Thursday.

“On water, (Epcor crews) are still working on the repair of the line and hope to have everybody back in service sometime today. We have made significant progress.”

Nearby Corona LRT station took on water during the break but was up and running by rush hour Wednesday, city spokesman Rowan Anderson said. Three of four entrances to the stations had reopened — there was no timeline for when the south 108 Street entrance would reopen.

Engineers were brought in to test track integrity after the water got in, he added.

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/crews-work-around-clock-to-restore-power-in-flooded-downtown-building/wcm/7527f625-2e74-4aef-b376-ac0ddba3c36b/feed0Who owns the street? Parking flap puts the brakes on new Forest Heights delihttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/who-owns-the-street-parking-flap-puts-the-brakes-on-new-forest-heights-deli/wcm/582e2f76-c0cd-4a65-a71c-e887e2b3b9d6
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/who-owns-the-street-parking-flap-puts-the-brakes-on-new-forest-heights-deli/wcm/582e2f76-c0cd-4a65-a71c-e887e2b3b9d6#respondTue, 24 Jul 2018 23:58:00 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/who-owns-the-street-parking-flap-puts-the-brakes-on-new-forest-heights-deliA parking flare-up around a proposed neighbourhood deli in Forest Heights is pitting a local business owner against a street full of now-frustrated residents.

Visitors to the popular neighbourhood pub Cartago are already plugging up residential streets, neighbours say, and now Cartago’s Katy Ingraham wants to open a cafe/deli next door.

Neighbours complained to the city. The city used that to deny a permit. Cartago is fighting to overturn the ruling at the subdivision and development appeal board.

It’s raising a contentious question in Edmonton: Is it a resident’s right to park in front of their house? And will city council’s push to build vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhoods across the city inevitably bring congestion?

“Public streets are meant to be parked on by the public. If we want more of these mixed-use and walkable areas, congested street parking is a byproduct of living in that type of city,” said a frustrated Chris Dulaba, who is going to bat for his tenant. His company, Beljan Developments, owns the new four-storey building, which has 27 apartment homes above two retail spaces.

Beljan built it on a former gas station site on 106 Avenue at 82 Street.

The businesses add important amenities to the neighbourhood, Dulaba said, arguing residents should simply clean our their private garage to park.

The mixed-use building is exactly the kind of project council says it wants to encourage along its key bus corridors, near LRT stations and around employment centres such as the University of Alberta. Council’s urban planning committee endorsed step one of a new plan to make it easier for developers to build this “missing middle” just three weeks ago.

City streets are shared

The city also has a full-scale parking review ongoing, said senior planner Anne Stevenson. But finding the right balance will be key. “It’s a really important issue … city streets are a shared resource for all Edmontonians.”

Ingraham applied for a development permit to open the cafe/deli last October, asking for a variance because the zoning is general retail. She had a parking impact assessment done, which outlined available on-street parking within walking distance.

Edmonton’s transportation officials reviewed that study and said yes to the deli.

Then they heard complaints from neighbours, visited the spot themselves and reversed course, said Gail Hickmore, the city’s general supervisor for development and zoning. A week after saying yes, they changed the written recommendation to no.

The issue goes to the subdivision and development appeal board in August.

‘Speeding around corners’

Ward 8 Coun. Ben Henderson said it’s a serious issue. He found the streets immediately beside Cartago packed with cars while door-knocking there last year. “I literally came around the corner and said: ‘What’s going on here?’”

“You don’t own the space in front of your house, but I think you have a reasonable expectation to park within two blocks,” he added. “People were speeding around the corners in desperation to find parking.”

But Ingraham said there’s only so much a business can do. If the residents have an issue, it’s up to the city to impose time restrictions, safety measures and residents-only limits. “We can’t just magically put a parking lot somewhere.”

Plus, the cafe/deli would use parking in the morning, when the pub isn’t busy, she said. “It feels like the city is penalizing us for having a successful business.”

Parking in ‘my’ spot

We asked Edmonton residents on Facebook and Twitter: Do residents have a right to be annoyed when parking on their front street is full? It prompted a vigorous debate, with more than 1,000 people participating.

Parking. Parking. Parking.Dealing with this issue again today — woman banned from opening neighbourhood deli for lack of parking. What do you think?Do residents have a right to be annoyed when their street out front is full? #yegcc#yegplan#yegtraffic

• Aaron Lee Osgoode (@Alo55Alo): Oh dear me … would someone have to park around the corner and walk … oh the humanity!

• Derrick Forsythe:It’s about the cumulative effects of relaxations — in a three-block stretch from 115 – 113 Streets at 106 Avenue the city has granted 150 stalls worth of relaxed parking requirements … the area is at +100% capacity (city parking study) — madness.

• Janet Schmude:You don’t own the street. I get infuriated when people put chairs on the street during Folkfest to prevent you from parking. Especially when they have a garage and a driveway in the back alley.

• Leigh Niwa (@lauraniwa): I’m tired of businesses being limited by being *required* to have parking for cars. If your business model doesn’t require it (targeting active commuters, on busy transit etc.) why make it a restriction?

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/who-owns-the-street-parking-flap-puts-the-brakes-on-new-forest-heights-deli/wcm/582e2f76-c0cd-4a65-a71c-e887e2b3b9d6/feed0Flags delayed: Gesture of reconciliation waits for reconstruction at city hallhttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/flags-delayed-gesture-of-reconciliation-waits-for-reconstruction-at-city-hall/wcm/1e56db27-dfe3-4ff1-87d5-3ad6191c8eba
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/flags-delayed-gesture-of-reconciliation-waits-for-reconstruction-at-city-hall/wcm/1e56db27-dfe3-4ff1-87d5-3ad6191c8eba#respondMon, 23 Jul 2018 23:50:50 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/flags-delayed-gesture-of-reconciliation-waits-for-reconstruction-at-city-hallIt was meant to be a grand gesture of reconciliation — Metis and Treaty 6 flags flying permanently beside Edmonton’s flag in its most prominent central square.

It’s still coming, say city officials, 16 months after a vote by city council to make it happen.

Edmonton will now raise the flags in spring 2019, following the first $13-million phase of construction around city hall. Construction crews cut down trees and started pulling up flagstones last week to prepare the site for the new wading pool/fountain.

There will be five flag poles when the square reopens in time for next summer’s festival season.

“It is going to happen,” said Coun. Aaron Paquette, who has Cree and Metis heritage. “Government is very slow moving. (But) when we say something is going to happen, no one is just speaking words.”

Edmonton currently flies the flags of Canada, Alberta and the City of Edmonton near the Peace Tower just south of city hall.

Council voted to add the Metis Nation and Treaty 6 flags in March 2017, saying that would recognize Edmonton’s particular legal and historical relationship with Indigenous peoples. At that point, city officials expected the flags to be up that spring.

Then they had trouble sourcing the flag poles. Now they’re planing to hold off so the flags aren’t installed only to be taken down for construction.

The whole project was almost postponed for another year. Earlier this month, city administration returned to council in private to say bids were coming in higher than expected.

But council was able to reallocate funds, increasing the budget to up to $13 million from $9.8 million.

Council was told the upswing in the economy affected prices. But Edmonton’s tight schedule also had an impact since the city is keen to reopen it before next summer.

Officials originally hoped to go to tender in February, start construction in April. But the plan to reduce water levels to ankle-deep in the wading pool surprised many on council and they took time to look at alternatives.

In the meantime, the Metis Nation and Treaty 6 flags are displayed inside city hall and in council chambers, said City of Edmonton spokeswoman Melissa Lovatt.

Paquette said the flags are important to remember Edmonton’s shared history and celebrate its deep roots, which was a recommendation by both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Royal Commission before that.

“This is a way of reminding us that we’re all together,” he said of the flags.

It’s not us versus them — no one is separated out into another group. Instead, this is acknowledging the shared past so we can build a common future together, he said.

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/flags-delayed-gesture-of-reconciliation-waits-for-reconstruction-at-city-hall/wcm/1e56db27-dfe3-4ff1-87d5-3ad6191c8eba/feed0Royal Alberta Museum blamed for jump in province's greenhouse gas emissionshttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/politics/royal-alberta-museum-blamed-for-jump-in-provinces-greenhouse-gas-emissions/wcm/4984d74a-aef4-4366-9b60-3cea9838b81c
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/politics/royal-alberta-museum-blamed-for-jump-in-provinces-greenhouse-gas-emissions/wcm/4984d74a-aef4-4366-9b60-3cea9838b81c#respondThu, 26 Jul 2018 09:00:39 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/royal-alberta-museum-blamed-for-jump-in-provinces-greenhouse-gas-emissionsThe yet-to-be opened Royal Alberta Museum was largely responsible for the province missing its targets last year for greenhouse gases produced by government owned buildings, Alberta Infrastructure says.

“Museums have higher energy consumptions than other government buildings because many exhibits, artifacts and storage require 24/7 controls to ensure appropriate temperature, humidity and air quality levels,” the ministry said in an emailed response Wednesday.

Statistics published in the ministry’s latest annual report include numbers on emissions “intensity,” measured by how many carbon dioxide equivalents were produced per square metre of government-owned space.

The numbers show provincial facilities emitted 0.132 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per square metre in the 2017-18 fiscal year — about four per cent above the target.

Much of the increase was due to the new museum, the ministry said.

“The target for 2017-18 was determined before the new Royal Alberta Museum was completed,” the annual report says. “It is not possible to predict the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of a new facility with a high level of accuracy before the facility completes one full year of operations.”

External construction of the $375.5-million facility was completed two years ago, but the building has remained closed to the public as crews complete interior work, build exhibits and move artifacts from the old Royal Alberta Museum. It is expected to open sometime this fall.

At nearly 38,000 gross square metres, the new museum is advertised to be the biggest in Western Canada, and significantly larger than the 24,095 gross square metres of the former site.

As such, the new RAM is touted to be approximately twice as efficient as the old museum, yet its large size means the facility still uses more energy overall, the ministry said.

In addition to the RAM, increased natural gas consumption at four provincial fish hatcheries also contributed to the missed emissions target, the report said.

The government said it responded with an energy audit to look for projects that could reverse the trend. Included is a modernization of the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery in Calgary to help the facility use less energy and water.

The government does not plan to publish emissions intensity targets in the future, citing concerns that the current methodology does not allow for accurate projections.

However, such targets will still be used internally to help manage emissions, the ministry said.

“We are open to bringing this performance measure back in the business plan once the methodology has been refined,” a ministry statement said.

As for overall emissions, government buildings produced 393,206 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents last year, up about five per cent from 375,345 the year before.

The government has said it is working to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint, noting it has 154 LEED-certified projects and has installed solar panels on 10 facilities.

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/politics/royal-alberta-museum-blamed-for-jump-in-provinces-greenhouse-gas-emissions/wcm/4984d74a-aef4-4366-9b60-3cea9838b81c/feed0Appeal of Edmonton townhomes up as mortgage stress test rules kick inhttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/appeal-of-edmonton-townhouses-up-as-mortgage-stress-test-rules-kick-in/wcm/d82db393-fdfa-4eb4-a540-991e92a588cb
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/appeal-of-edmonton-townhouses-up-as-mortgage-stress-test-rules-kick-in/wcm/d82db393-fdfa-4eb4-a540-991e92a588cb#respondWed, 01 Aug 2018 00:27:56 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/appeal-of-edmonton-townhouses-up-as-mortgage-stress-test-rules-kick-inNew multi-family home sales in Edmonton are up one per cent with townhouse sales becoming more attractive as mortgage stress test rules make bigger purchases more difficult, shows a second-quarter market report.

“The loss in buying power resulting from the mortgage stress test caused some prospective detached home purchasers to look for a new townhome,” said Urban Analytics (UA) senior market analyst Annalise Boytinck in a Tuesday news release.

“Townhomes are an appealing option for price-sensitive young family purchasers or downsizers seeking more living space than most condominiums offer.”

The townhouse sector — with a 19 per cent increase in sales — was the only one to undergo an increase in sales in the second quarter compared to the first, said Boytinck.

The majority of demand was for townhouses under $350,000.

An estimated 20 per cent loss of buying power for those looking to purchase is being attributed to the mortgage stress test rules introduced earlier this year by Canada’s banking regulator to keep homebuyers from taking on too much debt.

“Sales representatives throughout Edmonton report there is interest from investors as they seek to take advantage of the increased value being offered for new multi-family product in Edmonton,” added Boytinck.

“UA anticipates sales activity will improve as the year proceeds and buyers and developers adapt their expectations for the new normal in Edmonton’s new multi-family home market.”

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/appeal-of-edmonton-townhouses-up-as-mortgage-stress-test-rules-kick-in/wcm/d82db393-fdfa-4eb4-a540-991e92a588cb/feed0'Pressure points': Five provincial court judges to help ease backlogshttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/pressure-points-five-provincial-court-judges-to-help-ease-backlogs/wcm/e03042a9-8229-4973-8752-eb85beb7e4e3
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/pressure-points-five-provincial-court-judges-to-help-ease-backlogs/wcm/e03042a9-8229-4973-8752-eb85beb7e4e3#respondTue, 31 Jul 2018 23:53:46 +0000http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/pressure-points-five-provincial-court-judges-to-help-ease-backlogsThe province named five judges in northern and central Alberta Tuesday in a move aimed at helping to relieve strain on the court system, says Alberta’s justice minister.

Four of the provincial court judge positions are new — one each in Grande Prairie and Wetaskiwin as well as two in Edmonton. The last appointment filled an existing vacancy in Peace River.

“Those new positions were chosen by the provincial court in terms of location because those were pressure points,” said Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley, speaking via teleconference. “They were areas where the court was challenged to keep up with the volume of charges coming through.”

New positions, funded through the 2018 spring budget, also included dozens of other court staff. Forty of 55 court clerks have been hired along with 13 bail clerks.

But the province has only filled eight of 20 open Crown prosecutor positions announced over the last few months. Half of the job postings were intended to battle rural crime as part of the NDP’s $10-million plan rolled out in March.

“Having created these positions will hopefully allow individuals to see that there will be some relief in sight,” Ganley said, referring to the heavy workload burdening Crown prosecutors. “It does take some time to get individuals hired.”

The government’s recognition of dwindling resources is a positive step, said Damian Rogers, treasurer at the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association.

But the organization is concerned about the government’s ability to recruit Crown prosecutors.

“Our understanding … is that the number of applications to those positions has been very low,” he said. “We’re on this treadmill right now … where the number of departures is such that we’re always in a recruiting mode.”

Alberta’s superior court is also stretched for resources.

Justices in the Court of Queen’s Bench are appointed by the federal government. The Supreme Court of Canada’s 2016 Jordan decision instituted a 30-month time limit for criminal matters to go to trial in the Court of Queen’s Bench, while provincial court cases were handed a deadline of 18 months.

“The backlog in the Court of Queen’s Bench is worse than the backlog in the provincial court currently,” Rogers said. “There are a lot of capacity issues throughout the criminal justice system in Alberta.”

United Conservative Party justice critic Angela Pitt said the NDP needs to apply pressure on Ottawa to fill the federally-appointed vacancies.

Rural crime continues to plague residents, she added.

“We hear heartbreaking stories from victims across the province every single day and it’s clear that the NDP plan to tackle this ongoing crisis is failing,” she said in a statement.

There are currently 144 provincial court judges working in Alberta, of which 24 are part-time. There are four full-time vacancies.

Law Society of Alberta president Don Cranston said the new judges will improve timely access to justice.

“It is also great to see that we are achieving a more balanced approach to gender diversity on the bench,” he said in a statement.

These are the five new judges:

Randal Brandt, appointed to criminal provincial court in Edmonton, has more than a decade of experience as a prosecutor in St. Paul and Edmonton.

Andrea Chrenek was appointed to provincial court in Grande Prairie, where she has practised law since 1996. She has primarily worked in commercial litigation, employment and family law.

Sandra Corbett was a partner at an Edmonton law firm before she was appointed to civil provincial court in the city. She has focused on civil and commercial litigation and taught insurance law as a sessional instructor at the University of Alberta.

Karen Hewitt was appointed to provincial court in Wetaskiwin. She has worked as a Crown prosecutor in Edmonton, regional circuit court locations and most recently with the specialized prosecutions division.

Robert Marceau was appointed to provincial court in Peace River, where he worked as a criminal trial lawyer and was a partner at a local law firm.

]]>https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/local-news/pressure-points-five-provincial-court-judges-to-help-ease-backlogs/wcm/e03042a9-8229-4973-8752-eb85beb7e4e3/feed0Councillor Connection: Finding the right solution for de-icing is a community efforthttps://www.edmontonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/councillor-connection-finding-the-right-solution-for-de-icing-is-a-community-effort
https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/councillor-connection-finding-the-right-solution-for-de-icing-is-a-community-effort#respondMon, 30 Jul 2018 22:59:06 +0000https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/councillor-connection-finding-the-right-solution-for-de-icing-is-a-community-effortThe city launched a pilot last winter using liquid calcium chloride, along with a corrosion inhibitor, to melt snow and ice on 2,800 kilometres of driving and cycling lanes.

The anti-icing agent was tested for effectiveness, as well its potential to reduce the application of sand. Initial evidence is that calcium chloride worked well, reduced the necessity for sanding and sped up the spring clean up.

But . . . did calcium chloride promote rusting in cars, as some citizens insist? Or did the rust inhibitor work as billed? If it did cause vehicle rust, who is responsible? The city for applying a potentially corrosive chemical? Or the car/truck owner for not washing his/her vehicle appropriately?

I realize those latter questions sound a bit callous. But what I’m getting at is collective versus personal onus. Remember, the goal here is to reduce collisions, which have tragic impact on individual lives. So . . . if corrosion is a risk, is the personal cost worth the reduction in potentially tragic vehicle collisions?

Nothing is simple at City Hall. City administration plans to expand the calcium chloride pilot during the winter of 2018/19. Expert evidence will be particularly important when weighing the pros and cons of anti-icing chemicals to make roads safer and more passable in Edmonton’s snowy and icy winter months.

Application techniques will also be amended to allow for lower use of chemicals with equal or better outcomes. Expertise in corrosion and chemistry is not on the resume of your average city councillor so as in most technical civic endeavours, we rely on evidence from the civil service, as well as the community.

Another option to help save money in the winter months could be to mandate the use of winter tires. At a recent community services committee meeting, I asked administration to report back on jurisdictions like Quebec, with mandated snow tires, and compare snow clearing and traffic data to our own.

I believe the effectiveness of winter tires vs. roadway chemistry is worth evaluating. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your opinion on this topic.

Is it preferable for winter road safety costs be covered by the municipality, through mass snow clearing efforts and use of anti-icing agents? Or should individual drivers contribute by purchasing snow tires?